As our kids are growing, we’re all getting older and this includes our parents. We hope this article will help shed light on topic that many of our readers are dealing with in their families. Thanks to Amy Best from the Home Instead Senior Care® office in Springfield, Illinois.
Those of us in the senior care industry have heard this time and again, and it’s an opinion confirmed by research. Most aging adults want to remain in their homes as they age.
According to a study commissioned by Home Instead, Inc., for the Home Instead® network, 86% of seniors want to live at home for as long as possible. But many older adults need help to achieve that goal.
In fact, as individuals age, some form of care is often necessary to remain at home. There generally are two types of home care:
Home healthcare provided by licensed medical professionals for which the individual has received an order or prescription from a healthcare provider.
In-home care such as personal care, homemaker or companionship services provided by professional caregivers.
Cost can be a concern for many aging adults. Perhaps you have these apprehensions yourself or your aging parents have expressed this worry. But home care can help older adults stay independent and home longer, and cost doesn’t need to be a roadblock.
Research reveals that home care is, in fact, one of the most affordable options available, according to industry surveys. Consider this, from the 2020 Genworth Cost of Care Survey: Nationally, the daily costs of homemaker services ($147) are on par with assisted living ($141). Locally it is fairly comparable with costs of homemaker services in Springfield being $152 per day and assisted living being $160 per day. So, an older adult could stay in their own home with the support they need to remain independent.
Not only could home care allow your parents to remain at home, services are designed to be flexible and geared to their needs. For example, Home Instead provides at-home care and companionship support for aging adults from a few hours a day to 24/7 support. Services span the care continuum – from providing personal care to specialized Alzheimer’s care and hospice support.
Because home care services, both home health and in-home care, are often only required for a few hours a week, the savings to aging adults can be significant. A Home Instead, Inc. study indicates that 22% of the Home Instead network’s clients employ CAREGiversSM for four hours or less per week, and another 20% of clients employ CAREGivers between four and eight hours each week. Depending on the level of care needed, home care has the potential to save thousands of dollars a month compared with nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.
For more information, check out the Home Care Funding Solutions Guide.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care, contact Amy Best at 217.547.1300 or go to www.homeinstead.com.
